The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-04-06
CHAPTER X

In the history of Shirley's life it is neces-
sary to note various minor influences that
shaped her destiny. In these minor influences
there viii be much that is uneventful
Events enough wiz come, however.
Shirley had been taught to think She
learned that from her father and her teacher
She was of this nature too: If she saw a
wrong or a mistake, she thought first of all,
Cannot this wrong and this mistake be
rightedi
If she set about any work she considered
within herself How could it be done in the
best wayl Having thus considered. she
spared no labor or trouble to accomplish it in
that way. She had learned this also from
the two wise friends who walked with her no
more.
A genius is one who can do all things well
Whatever Shirley undertook, though it were
no more than the planting out of rose tree,
she did it better than the common run.
So it was with her school From parents
on one side to pupils on the other she found
fronting her jungle of self complacent igno-
rance. To turn the jungle into garden Of
civilization-this was the task that lay be-
fore her
Her work IN the school was so remarkable
that its solid results remain TO this day. long
after-well. long after what was to happen
did happen. To this day her old pupils tell,
with tears gathering in their eyes, how much
they owe to Shirley Carstone.
Her school was Ike her life, light and
shadow. At first she reused i'll viii some
times But by degrees the little mudheads
were warmed and thrilled by her overpower-
ing enthusiasm The great mudheads at
home felt the glow, till the whole mas was
melted and nodded under her hand
She recognized that book coming was a
small part of education. To train and equip
| the child at every point where his after life
| will touch that of his fellow man, this was to
| educate him. The pure, sweet home life Of
| the stone house in the days that were van
ished was like guiding star to the girl in her
| work She sought to teach the rude boys in
her charge to be gentle and knightly, as her
| father had taught her brothers
| The singing OF the Carstone children had
been the marvel of Linwood in the old happy
days. Their mother had taught them sing
ing, and had taken the greatest pains with
them 1t had been her delight to assemble
them 3 a. evening for what she called a
family caucaft Faults she pounced upon
wif16 = WuuId- - 1Eon like severity that made
the chIl1<en 1n111 hat their gentle mother,
while tteY ebo1od her. Did they sound a
harsh q nI1e nptes She raped them to
stop, wit 81 aufo1 frown
There, uowF - aid. AWhine through
your noses, dol IN % musical
Mrs CarstonS had been an enthusiast about
her chiIdren's singing Under her watchful
loving training, their music became grateful
to the ear and melodious as bird songs.
She taught them to read aloud, too. "a
coed reader il rarer in America than a good
president Col Carstone had been accus
toned to tell his children. There might b<
some presidents among the lot, perhaps, but
at any rate he meant there should be sesefa
good readers so the pretty mother, wltn
her sweet, clear voice and correct mtonatlol'
! sf.rfexi reefiinr school among the young ones